Election fever has gripped Karnataka and things are getting heated in political fray. While the news of veteran BJP leader KS Eshwarappa quitting active politics hasn’t settled, Another senior leader Jagdish Shettar has blown the bugle of rebellion less than a month away from voting day in assembly elections.
Former Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar announced he is upset after the party asked him to make way for others and indicated he won’t be given a ticket.
Mr Shettar, the MLA from Hubballi, has won six elections in the past. He won by over 21,000 votes in the last assembly election in 2018, defeating his Congress rival Mahesh Nalwad. He comes from Lingayat community.
“Last elections I got elected with a margin of more than 21,000 votes. What are my minus points?” Mr Shettar, looking visibly upset, told reporters.
“I ask only one question – I won six times, have no blot in my career and have no allegations against me. So why am I being excluded? I want to tell the party to allow me to contest, otherwise it won’t be good for the party,” said the BJP MLA who was Chief Minister in 2012.
“I will ask the party to define seniority so that there is no confusion about how they decide who gets to contest. I have a clean image and won Hubballi with good numbers,” Mr Shettar said.
Karnataka: “No Land No Vote” Movement Gears Up Before Elections
Eshwarappa Quits Active Politics
This afternoon, Eshwarappa’s farewell from active politics came as a shocker. He was also asked to make room for others in this election.
Sources say that BJP wants to put younger fresh untainted faces in the election and many more will be likely to quit or rebel.
In a letter to BJP chief JP Nadda, Mr Eshwarappa said he is retiring from electoral politics he wrote that he wishes to retire from electoral politics and requested it to not consider fielding him from any constituency in the Assembly polls next month.
The decision of the former state unit president, who played a key role along with B S Yediyurappa in building the party in the state over the last four decades, came in the midst of the BJP finalising its list of candidates for the elections.
“I wish to voluntarily retire from electoral politics. Hence, it is my request not to consider my name for any constituency for the Assembly elections this time,” the former Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Council said in a letter to BJP President J P Nadda.
Eshwarappa, who resigned as minister last year over a corruption charge, expressed his gratitude to the seniors in the party who gave him honourable positions in his 40-year political career right from booth level to the deputy Chief Minister.
The 74-year-old Kuruba leader, also known for his controversial statements, is a five-time MLA from Shivamogga, and has served as minister holding various portfolios. Kurubas come under the OBC category in the state.
Eshwarappa quit as the Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister after a contractor Santosh Patil killed himself a year ago in a hotel room in Udupi accusing him in his suicide note of demanding 40 per cent commission for awarding civil works in Belagavi.
Yediyurappa Sudden Return to Bangalore
On Monday when former CM BS Yediyurappa made a premature departure from Delhi to Bangalore rumors circulated that he is unhappy not having his way with candidate choices.
The party leaders have been discussing the candidate list since Saturday evening in Delhi, with one of the reasons for the delay cited back home being Yediyurappa’s insistence on tickets for as many as 30 of his candidates, with the promise to ensure victories of each.
There are reports that close to 22 senior party leaders were asked to retire from active politics.
With no known Chief minister face in upcoming elections what will be BJP’s election strategy?
Will the election be fought on Modi’s name or will BJP expert election strategizing work this time too inspite of party infighting. It remains to be seen!
